# How Much Do Subscriptions Cost? Six Real-World Stacks, Priced for 2026

There is no single answer to "how much do subscriptions cost". A student and a family of four pay for different things. So instead of an average, we priced six common stacks line by line with US list prices checked October 2026. They range from $63.95/mo to $170.91/mo. For each one we show a smarter version of the same stack, with the same core services. The smarter versions cost a median of 42% less.

Updated 2026-10-13. https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/blog/how-much-do-subscriptions-cost

- **$63.95/mo** Smallest stack (The essentials)
- **$170.91/mo** Largest stack (The heavy streamer)
- **42%** Median saving (Same core services)
- **$2,050.92** Largest, per year (Before changes)

The services that appear most often across the six stacks.

## Six stacks, side by side

**Monthly cost of each stack, as commonly subscribed**

| Item | Value |
| --- | ---: |
| The heavy streamer | $170.91/mo |
| The family of four | $159.84/mo |
| The developer or freelancer | $159.38/mo |
| The gamer | $82.94/mo |
| The student | $69.96/mo |
| The essentials | $63.95/mo |

Every price is the plan's US list price. Yearly plans are divided by twelve.

**What the smarter version saves, per year**

| Item | Value |
| --- | ---: |
| The heavy streamer | $1,397.28 (68%) |
| The family of four | $840.53 (44%) |
| The developer or freelancer | $748.00 (39%) |
| The student | $539.88 (64%) |
| The gamer | $397.55 (40%) |
| The essentials | $269.76 (35%) |

Savings come from cheaper tiers, yearly billing, dropped overlaps and rotation.

The pattern is consistent. The biggest stacks are not expensive because of one big bill. They are expensive because of many medium ones, several of which do the same job. And the biggest savings rarely require giving up the thing you use every day.

## The stacks, line by line

### The student: $69.96/mo, or $24.97/mo done smarter

For a university student with music, one streaming service, an AI assistant and a language app. Students often sign up for the standard plans before they know a cheaper tier exists. Most of the savings here come from discounts that are already on offer, not from giving anything up.

| Service | Common plan | Per month | Smarter plan | Per month |
| --- | --- | ---: | --- | ---: |
| [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify) | Individual | $12.99 | Student | $6.99 |
| [Netflix](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/netflix) | Standard | $19.99 | Standard with ads | $8.99 |
| [ChatGPT](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/chatgpt) | Plus | $20.00 | Go | $8.00 |
| [iCloud+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/icloud) | 200 GB | $2.99 | 50 GB | $0.99 |
| [Duolingo](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/duolingo) | Super | $13.99 | Cancel | - |
| **Total** |  | **$69.96** |  | **$24.97** |

- **Spotify.** Spotify Student is the same music at about half price, if you can verify you're enrolled.
- **Netflix.** The ad-supported plan keeps most of the catalog for less. Worth it if you watch a few hours a week.
- **ChatGPT.** ChatGPT Go is the lower tier. Check whether its limits cover how you study before you switch.
- **iCloud+.** Only worth it if your photos and backups fit in 50 GB. Check your storage page first.
- **Duolingo.** Duolingo has a free version. Super is worth keeping only if you use its extras every week.

Before: $839.52 a year. After: $299.64 a year, a saving of **$539.88** (64%). Invested at 7% a year instead, that saving would grow to about $7,787 in ten years ([run your own numbers](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-investment-calculator?monthly=44.99)).

### The essentials: $63.95/mo, or $41.47/mo done smarter

For someone living alone with one streaming service, music, storage, shopping and a VPN. This is a modest stack. Nothing here is excessive, which is exactly why it never gets reviewed. The changes are about billing, not cutting.

| Service | Common plan | Per month | Smarter plan | Per month |
| --- | --- | ---: | --- | ---: |
| [Netflix](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/netflix) | Standard | $19.99 | Standard with ads | $8.99 |
| [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify) | Individual | $12.99 | Individual | $12.99 |
| [iCloud+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/icloud) | 200 GB | $2.99 | 200 GB | $2.99 |
| [Amazon Prime](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/amazon-prime) | Monthly | $14.99 | Yearly | $11.58 |
| [NordVPN](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/nordvpn) | Monthly | $12.99 | 1 year | $4.92 |
| **Total** |  | **$63.95** |  | **$41.47** |

- **Netflix.** The ad-supported plan, for less.
- **Amazon Prime.** If you've had Prime for a year without a break, paying yearly costs less.
- **NordVPN.** The yearly price is much lower. It may be a first-year offer, so check the renewal price at checkout.

Before: $767.40 a year. After: $497.64 a year, a saving of **$269.76** (35%). Invested at 7% a year instead, that saving would grow to about $3,891 in ten years ([run your own numbers](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-investment-calculator?monthly=22.48)).

### The family of four: $159.84/mo, or $89.79/mo done smarter

For two parents and two kids sharing streaming, music, storage, office apps and a games console. Families get the best per-person prices, but they also collect overlapping services: two ways to get ad-free music, several streaming apps at once, and monthly billing on things nobody would cancel.

| Service | Common plan | Per month | Smarter plan | Per month |
| --- | --- | ---: | --- | ---: |
| [Netflix](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/netflix) | Premium | $26.99 | Standard | $19.99 |
| [Disney+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/disney-plus) | Premium | $21.49 | Basic | $12.49 |
| [Hulu](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/hulu) | No ads | $21.49 | Cancel | - |
| [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify) | Family | $21.99 | Family | $21.99 |
| [YouTube Premium](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/youtube-premium) | Family | $26.99 | Cancel | - |
| [iCloud+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/icloud) | 2 TB | $9.99 | 2 TB | $9.99 |
| [Amazon Prime](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/amazon-prime) | Monthly | $14.99 | Yearly | $11.58 |
| [Microsoft 365](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/microsoft-365) | Family | $12.99 | Family yearly | $10.83 |
| [Nintendo Switch Online](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/nintendo-switch-online) | Family yearly | $2.92 | Family yearly | $2.92 |
| **Total** |  | **$159.84** |  | **$89.79** |

- **Netflix.** Premium adds more simultaneous streams and higher quality. Standard is enough for many households; check how many screens you really use at once.
- **Disney+.** Basic is the ad-supported plan.
- **Hulu.** Rotate it: subscribe for the months a show you want is airing, then cancel.
- **YouTube Premium.** YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music, so with Spotify Family you are paying twice for music. Keep the one your family uses most.
- **Amazon Prime.** If your family orders regularly, you are unlikely to cancel. Pay yearly.
- **Microsoft 365.** The same plan billed yearly.

Before: $1,918.03 a year. After: $1,077.50 a year, a saving of **$840.53** (44%). Invested at 7% a year instead, that saving would grow to about $12,124 in ten years ([run your own numbers](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-investment-calculator?monthly=70.04)).

### The heavy streamer: $170.91/mo, or $54.47/mo done smarter

For someone who wants every new show the week it lands. Seven streaming services is the most expensive habit in this article, and the easiest to fix. Few people watch seven services in the same month. The fix is rotation: keep one or two, and subscribe to the others only in the months you're watching them.

| Service | Common plan | Per month | Smarter plan | Per month |
| --- | --- | ---: | --- | ---: |
| [Netflix](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/netflix) | Premium | $26.99 | Standard | $19.99 |
| [HBO Max](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/max) | Premium | $22.99 | Standard | $18.49 |
| [Disney+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/disney-plus) | Premium | $21.49 | Cancel | - |
| [Hulu](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/hulu) | No ads | $21.49 | Cancel | - |
| [Paramount+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/paramount-plus) | Premium | $13.99 | Cancel | - |
| [Peacock](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/peacock) | Premium Plus | $19.99 | Cancel | - |
| [Apple TV](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/apple-tv) | Monthly | $14.99 | Cancel | - |
| [YouTube Premium](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/youtube-premium) | Individual | $15.99 | Individual | $15.99 |
| [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify) | Individual | $12.99 | Cancel | - |
| **Total** |  | **$170.91** |  | **$54.47** |

- **Netflix.** Keep one service permanently, on a mid tier.
- **HBO Max.** The rotating slot. One extra service at a time, switched when you finish a show.
- **Disney+.** Rotated out. Rejoin for the month a series you want drops.
- **Hulu.** Rotated out.
- **Paramount+.** Rotated out.
- **Peacock.** Rotated out.
- **Apple TV.** Rotated out.
- **YouTube Premium.** Kept, and it includes YouTube Music.
- **Spotify.** Covered by YouTube Music, which comes with YouTube Premium.

Before: $2,050.92 a year. After: $653.64 a year, a saving of **$1,397.28** (68%). Invested at 7% a year instead, that saving would grow to about $20,154 in ten years ([run your own numbers](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-investment-calculator?monthly=116.44)).

### The developer or freelancer: $159.38/mo, or $97.05/mo done smarter

For someone who works online, with AI assistants, coding tools, hosting and the usual personal subscriptions. Work stacks grow one tool at a time, and each one is easy to justify. The waste is in overlap: two AI assistants, two coding assistants, and monthly billing on tools used every single day.

| Service | Common plan | Per month | Smarter plan | Per month |
| --- | --- | ---: | --- | ---: |
| [ChatGPT](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/chatgpt) | Plus | $20.00 | Cancel | - |
| [Claude](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/claude) | Pro | $20.00 | Pro yearly | $16.67 |
| [Cursor](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/cursor) | Pro | $20.00 | Pro yearly | $16.00 |
| [GitHub Copilot](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/github-copilot) | Pro | $10.00 | Cancel | - |
| [GitHub](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/github) | Pro | $4.00 | Pro | $4.00 |
| [Vercel](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/vercel) | Pro | $20.00 | Pro | $20.00 |
| [Notion](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/notion) | Plus | $12.00 | Plus yearly | $10.00 |
| [Google Workspace](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/google-workspace) | Business Starter | $8.40 | Business Starter | $8.40 |
| [Grammarly](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/grammarly) | Pro | $12.00 | Cancel | - |
| [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify) | Individual | $12.99 | Individual | $12.99 |
| [Netflix](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/netflix) | Standard | $19.99 | Standard with ads | $8.99 |
| **Total** |  | **$159.38** |  | **$97.05** |

- **ChatGPT.** Two general AI assistants overlap. Keep the one you open most and cancel the other.
- **Claude.** Kept, and switched to yearly billing because it's used daily.
- **Cursor.** Used daily, so yearly billing pays off.
- **GitHub Copilot.** Cursor includes its own AI assistant, so paying for Copilot too is often overlap. Keep one coding assistant.
- **Notion.** A daily tool, billed yearly.
- **Grammarly.** Optional: the AI assistant you kept can review writing too. Keep Grammarly if you rely on its inline checks.

Before: $1,912.56 a year. After: $1,164.56 a year, a saving of **$748.00** (39%). Invested at 7% a year instead, that saving would grow to about $10,789 in ten years ([run your own numbers](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-investment-calculator?monthly=62.33)).

### The gamer: $82.94/mo, or $49.81/mo done smarter

For someone with more than one console, plus voice chat and music. Game subscriptions are bought per console, and console owners often end up paying for all of them at the same time. The savings come from the right tier, yearly billing and not paying for two music services.

| Service | Common plan | Per month | Smarter plan | Per month |
| --- | --- | ---: | --- | ---: |
| [Xbox Game Pass](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/xbox-game-pass) | Ultimate | $22.99 | Ultimate | $22.99 |
| [PlayStation Plus](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/playstation-plus) | Extra | $16.99 | Essential yearly | $6.67 |
| [Nintendo Switch Online](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/nintendo-switch-online) | Individual | $3.99 | Individual yearly | $1.67 |
| [Discord Nitro](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/discord-nitro) | Nitro | $9.99 | Nitro Basic yearly | $2.50 |
| [YouTube Premium](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/youtube-premium) | Individual | $15.99 | Individual | $15.99 |
| [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify) | Individual | $12.99 | Cancel | - |
| **Total** |  | **$82.94** |  | **$49.81** |

- **Xbox Game Pass.** Kept. Ultimate includes EA Play, so don't buy that separately.
- **PlayStation Plus.** Essential is the tier needed for most online play on PlayStation. Extra adds a game library; drop to Essential if you mostly play on Xbox.
- **Nintendo Switch Online.** Far cheaper billed yearly.
- **Discord Nitro.** Nitro Basic is the cheaper tier with fewer perks. Check which ones you actually use.
- **Spotify.** YouTube Premium already includes YouTube Music.

Before: $995.28 a year. After: $597.73 a year, a saving of **$397.55** (40%). Invested at 7% a year instead, that saving would grow to about $5,734 in ten years ([run your own numbers](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-investment-calculator?monthly=33.13)).

## Where the heavy streamer's money goes

**Heavy streamer, monthly cost per service before changes**

| Item | Value |
| --- | ---: |
| Netflix | $26.99 |
| HBO Max | $22.99 |
| Disney+ | $21.49 |
| Hulu | $21.49 |
| Peacock | $19.99 |
| YouTube Premium | $15.99 |
| Apple TV | $14.99 |
| Paramount+ | $13.99 |
| Spotify | $12.99 |

No single line looks outrageous. The most expensive is Netflix at $26.99. Together they cost $170.91/mo. Rotation brings that to $54.47/mo while keeping a permanent service, a rotating one and ad-free YouTube with music. The [cheapest streaming services](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/blog/cheapest-streaming-services) guide ranks every option if you want an even cheaper rotating slot.

## What a stack costs over ten years

Monthly prices hide the long-run cost. Here is what each stack costs over ten years at today's prices, and what the same money would grow to if it were invested at 7% a year instead.

| Stack | Per month | 10 years of fees | Invested instead |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| The heavy streamer | $170.91 | $20,509.20 | $29,582 |
| The family of four | $159.84 | $19,180.30 | $27,665 |
| The developer or freelancer | $159.38 | $19,125.60 | $27,586 |
| The gamer | $82.94 | $9,952.80 | $14,356 |
| The student | $69.96 | $8,395.20 | $12,109 |
| The essentials | $63.95 | $7,674 | $11,069 |

This is not an argument to cancel everything. A $63.95/mo stack you use every day is good value. It's a way to put a real number on the subscriptions you don't use. If prices rise 5% a year, the family of four's $159.84/mo becomes about $260.36/mo in ten years; the [inflation calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/inflation-calculator) shows the effect for any amount.

## Why your real number is higher than you think

- **Small charges disappear.** 5 lines across these six stacks cost under $5 a month. Each one is too small to feel like a decision, so none of them ever gets reviewed.
- **Yearly renewals hide.** A yearly plan doesn't appear in a month of bank statements. You only notice it on the day it renews.
- **App store billing hides the name.** Subscriptions bought on a phone are billed by Apple or Google, so your statement shows them instead of the app.
- **Prices rise quietly.** Increases arrive by email and apply at your next renewal. The [price increase calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/subscription-price-increase-calculator) shows what one costs over five years.
- **Free trials convert.** A trial you forgot becomes a paid plan. The [free trial calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/free-trial-calculator) gives you the last day to cancel and a calendar reminder.
- **Bundles overlap.** Paying for YouTube Premium and Spotify, or Amazon Prime and a separate Prime Video plan, means paying twice for one thing.

## How your bills compare with the market

A quick benchmark: compare each service you pay for with the median starting price of its category in our [price index](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/blog/subscription-price-index).

| Service | Cheapest plan | Category | Category median |
| --- | ---: | --- | ---: |
| [Netflix](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/netflix) | $8.99 | Streaming | $9.95 |
| [Spotify](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/spotify) | $6.99 | Music & Audio | $9.99 |
| [ChatGPT](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/chatgpt) | $8.00 | AI | $15.00 |
| [iCloud+](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/icloud) | $0.99 | Security & Storage | $4.99 |
| [Amazon Prime](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/subscriptions/amazon-prime) | $11.58 | Shopping & Delivery | $8.17 |

## Work out your own number in ten minutes

1. Open three months of bank and card statements and note every recurring charge.
2. Check the subscription lists in your Apple account and Google Play, and PayPal's automatic payments. These often hold charges your statement names differently.
3. Search your email for "receipt", "renewal" and "your subscription" to find yearly plans.
4. Add everything to the [subscription calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/build) with the plan you're on. It totals monthly, yearly and daily cost.
5. For each line, ask: did I use it in the last 30 days, and would I sign up again today at this price? The full method is in [How to audit your subscriptions](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/blog/subscription-audit).
6. Apply the moves from the stacks above: cheaper tier, yearly billing, drop the overlap, rotate. Then [cancel](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/cancel) what's left over.

## Decision rules that work for any stack

- **One of each job.** One music service, one general AI assistant, one cloud storage plan. Paying for two that do the same job is an easy waste to miss.
- **Rotate streaming.** Keep one or two services, rotate the rest month to month.
- **Yearly for daily tools only.** If you've used it every week for a year, pay yearly. Otherwise stay monthly. The [monthly vs yearly calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/monthly-vs-yearly-calculator) gives the break-even month.
- **Share what can be shared.** Family and duo plans cost a fraction per person. Use the [family plan split calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/family-plan-split-calculator).
- **Price each use.** For gyms, classes and apps you use occasionally, the [cost per use calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/cost-per-use-calculator) settles it.

> Put your savings to work. The [savings goal calculator](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/tools/savings-goal-calculator) shows how fast a freed-up $22.48 a month reaches a goal. And see how your stack compares on the [leaderboard](https://www.trackmysubscriptions.com/leaderboard).

## FAQ

### How much does the average person spend on subscriptions?

It depends heavily on the household. The six typical stacks in this article cost between $63.95/mo and $170.91/mo. Add your own to the calculator for an exact figure.

### How much do subscriptions cost per year?

The six stacks here cost between $767.40 and $2,050.92 a year at US list prices.

### How much can I save on subscriptions?

In our six examples, keeping the same core services but switching tiers, billing and overlaps saved a median of 42%, between $269.76 and $1,397.28 a year.

### How much do all the streaming services cost together?

The heavy streamer's seven services plus music cost $170.91/mo on the plans many people choose. Rotating brings it to $54.47/mo.

### What is a normal amount to spend on subscriptions?

There's no normal amount, only whether you use what you pay for. A useful test: for each subscription, would you sign up again today at this price?

### How do I work out my own subscription total?

Add every service and plan to the free calculator at /build. It converts weekly, quarterly and yearly plans to a monthly figure and gives your yearly total.